The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-02-16

natlc aSyinm when inmates Of many arc
made to support themselves there, and by
increasing the income Of the penitent ay:
Our county government Is our chief trouble,
but 1t can be managed. The estimate of our
Commissioners sent to the S-natorand Rrn-
reSentativeS, Of county expenses for Il is
ye:i:, was l!e,,rly $ ~ mills. As we have no
rail- Dad tax, this is simply enormous. Sam
ter and Williamsburg require only three
mills and Charleston y NJ lis for county
purposes. And our co"nty has become in
volvad in debt by deficiencies occurring ev-
cry year. The deficiency last year, though
our tax was y 81 mills, was $500. There
Is no ecoDo omv IN a less levy than is neceSsa-
ry TO defrav the expenses The deficiency
has to be paid. Economy consists in reduc-
ing expenses. How can it be done?
When We know that men WHO build our
bridges and keep them in repair, m1' t
charge twice what the work IS worth because
they never know when they can get paid
and are forced to shave their county paper
az a heavy discount, the remedy lies n pay
ing cash and to the lowest bidder. To ac-
conlpliSh this we sec;lr:d the passage Of
bill authorizing the County Commissioners
t. borrow money in advance Of the tax levy
and within its limits to pay cash for such
work. The same unnecessary expense at
tends the support OF the poor. The Com
missioners are empowered also to pay cash
for tl;elr supplies and think considera-
bic amount can be saved by this measure.
The Trial Justice system needs also
change. We have six justices, five IN the
country and one in the town. Those IN the
country receive 500, for State cases and
are limited to >s75 for constable work, while
the one in town receives 500, and there Is
M limit 10 ,ons'a5ie charges whatever. It
is claimed that too great proportion OF t! g
work is done by the town justice. This can
BE- remelie., by limiting each justce to a
fixed jurisdiction, and the constable work
should be limited in every case. Let it be
large or small, whatever IS fair, it should be
fixed, or else the annual Deficiencies so ru-
inous cannot be stopped. 1t is just as bad
policy Tor the county to spend more than
her income as for an individual. Iou all
know that ii man continues to spend more
than he makes, he soon becomes a bankrupt.
I may as well say that no assault lslntend-
ed upon our town Justice, cheerfuLy re-
commended him for reappo!ntment, ana
have been personal friend and supporter
Of our sheriff from our school days-but l
believe this reform is necessary all the same.
An amendment to the constitution abolish.
ing the Office Of County Commissioners
would leave the Legislature free to form
county governments for the small counties of
the State much clore economical and more
efficient. The present system IS we'll enough
for a dense and wealthy population, but Is
excessively burdensome to apoor and sparse
population like ours But this requires two
legislatures and vJe of the people and
viii be brought up next session.
The School Commissioner might also be
abolished for the like reason, The constl-
tuition contzmpla. es that the School Commls-
sioner would be 4 thoroughly educated and
accom- plished teacher, who could visit the
schools and regulate the teaching and meth
ods OF instruction But practically this IS
very seldom the case here, and Will not be
for quarter of a century. The Commls-
sioner mainly signs pay certificates. which
the clerk Of court could do as he does other
papers for 25 cents each.
If the state should run the courts as 1t
ought to be the case, it would greatly lesson
the expense and be less burden on the
counties. All court claims passing through
the committees on claims in the Legislature
would be closely scanned by disinterested
people twas formerly so, Asall warrants
are in the name of the State, and every part
of the State is equally interested IN the pre-
servation of law and older, see no reason
why the State should not lun the courts as
well as the Asylum, Pennitent;ary, or any
other State institution.
There are many other places where. 1t will
be found that expenses can be lesSened.
There is no reason why our tax should ex-
ceed nine or ten mills-and that without
deficiency.
Several reform measures besides those
mentioned have been passed which will ma
turally reduce county expenses, viz:
\ Bill reducing the cost Of dieting prison
ers.
A Bill requiring the Penitentiary to send
for conyicts.
A Bill requiring only the Treasurers re-
port to be published--reducing the cost OF
printing to one-third.
Also generc) incorporation act.
All these small matters together make
great difference in the final cost of the gov
ernment to the people.
The bill to enlarge and reorganize tie
Board and Department of Agriculture, en-
dorsed by your County Convention. and
two State Conventions was postponed by
the Senate, but it passed the House without
opposition. a bill to establish the expert
mental farms for the enlightenment of the
farmers of the state, passed. This bill con-
tains clause requiring the Board of Agri-
culture to place the Legislature at next ses-
sion in possession of all important intorma-
ton about Agricultural Colleges. When
the State House is completed this college
can be built by the appropriations which
now are going for that purpose.
This summary conclude by saying that
no greater benefit can come to us than for
the farmers to study closely the tax laws OF
the State about which hope soon to give
my own opinions.